How To Design A Web Site That Sells
How To Design A Web Site That Sells
So, the first thing you have to do is ask yourself, WHO?
Who is my ideal customer?
Where does she live?
Where does she hang out?
What problem does she have that she's looking for a solution to and willing to pay to fix?
Once you know this, you have the foundation to begin the design process.
First matter of business, your HEADLINE.
Your headline is the most important part of your site. You have only seconds to grab your prospect by the eyeballs and keep her attention so you need to have a headline that clearly states the solution or benefit you provide.
Make sure your headline is in the center, in the top fold of the page so your visitor doesn't have to scroll down to find it. Also make sure it's in a large font that stands out and instantly commands attention.
Next, include compelling salescopy that clearly communicates the benefits of your product and service. If you use your site to share the story of your life, you'll lose your visitor in the blink of an eye. Instead, focus on her needs because that's what she's there for. What's in it for her?
If what you offer can make her look younger, be more popular, save her time, bring her money, eliminate backache, give her more time with family, get a promotion or give her a better night's sleep -- make it known in your copy.
Keep it clean and simple. If you bury your site with third party advertisements and non-related graphics, it looks more like a three-ring circus than a focused, professional business.
Steer clear of contrasting color schemes and designs, font colors and sizes. Also, keep your font in an easy-to-read color. White lettering on a dark background is hard on the eyes.
Video and audio are great added features as long as they're relevant to your business and professionally done.
Create social proof. Include testimonials and make them verifiable.
"John Q., Denver" means little, but "John Quigley, Vice-President, Tando Enterprises, Denver, Colorado" and a photo of him, gives the reader the ability to check your credibility and proof that you're a reputable business person.
List qualifications that are relevant to your business as well as accomplishments and experience.
Offer a gift in exchange for a name and e-mail address. Very few web visitors buy on first blush, but are willing to give you their contact information in exchange for something of value.
Just make sure this sign-up form is easy to find and not buried within your copy or at the bottom of your page. Make it stand out by placing it in the top left or right corner of your site.
Once you have a name, you can begin a courtship through a newsletter or e-course. Send value-packed information that provides benefit and extend invitations to return to your site and take advantage of your more comprehensive packages and special offerings.
Give your visitor clear instructions on what you want her to do.
Do you want her to sign-up for your newsletter? Download your special report? Request information on your daily special? Enroll in your club?
Tell the reader exactly what you want her to do. Give her a strong call to action and tell her specifically what steps to take.
If the visitor decides to make an immediate purchase, make sure the process is easy and seamless. Integrate a shopping cart and merchant account to handle the transaction. If there are too many hoops to jump through, your visitor will click away.
Also make it very clear what to expect. How the product will be delivered and by when.
Create an exit pop.
Sometimes people just won't have the time to read everything and might click away before giving you their contact info.
You can increase your chances of getting this information simply by adding an exit pop to your page. When visitors click away, they'll receive a reminder that they can receive your newsletter or report as a gift. Thirty percent will sign-up.
And finally -- take a look at other web sites. Find ones that grab your attention and make you want to pull out your wallet and buy. Pay attention to what they do that works and apply those elements to your site.
Your website can be your 24/7 sales team with these few right actions.
2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source
How To Design A Web Site That Sells - To learn more about this author, visit Laurie Hayes's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
The entire purpose of your website is to attract quality leads who want and have the money to purchase your products and services.
So, the first thing you have to do is ask yourself, WHO?
Who is my ideal customer?
Where does she live?
Where does she hang out?
What problem does she have that she's looking for a solution to and willing to pay to fix?
Once you know this, you have the foundation to begin the design process.
First matter of business, your HEADLINE.
Your headline is the most important part of your site. You have only seconds to grab your prospect by the eyeballs and keep her attention so you need to have a headline that clearly states the solution or benefit you provide.
Make sure your headline is in the center, in the top fold of the page so your visitor doesn't have to scroll down to find it. Also make sure it's in a large font that stands out and instantly commands attention.
Next, include compelling salescopy that clearly communicates the benefits of your product and service. If you use your site to share the story of your life, you'll lose your visitor in the blink of an eye. Instead, focus on her needs because that's what she's there for. What's in it for her?
If what you offer can make her look younger, be more popular, save her time, bring her money, eliminate backache, give her more time with family, get a promotion or give her a better night's sleep -- make it known in your copy.
Keep it clean and simple. If you bury your site with third party advertisements and non-related graphics, it looks more like a three-ring circus than a focused, professional business.
Steer clear of contrasting color schemes and designs, font colors and sizes. Also, keep your font in an easy-to-read color. White lettering on a dark background is hard on the eyes.
Video and audio are great added features as long as they're relevant to your business and professionally done.
Create social proof. Include testimonials and make them verifiable.
"John Q., Denver" means little, but "John Quigley, Vice-President, Tando Enterprises, Denver, Colorado" and a photo of him, gives the reader the ability to check your credibility and proof that you're a reputable business person.
List qualifications that are relevant to your business as well as accomplishments and experience.
Offer a gift in exchange for a name and e-mail address. Very few web visitors buy on first blush, but are willing to give you their contact information in exchange for something of value.
Just make sure this sign-up form is easy to find and not buried within your copy or at the bottom of your page. Make it stand out by placing it in the top left or right corner of your site.
Once you have a name, you can begin a courtship through a newsletter or e-course. Send value-packed information that provides benefit and extend invitations to return to your site and take advantage of your more comprehensive packages and special offerings.
Give your visitor clear instructions on what you want her to do.
Do you want her to sign-up for your newsletter? Download your special report? Request information on your daily special? Enroll in your club?
Tell the reader exactly what you want her to do. Give her a strong call to action and tell her specifically what steps to take.
If the visitor decides to make an immediate purchase, make sure the process is easy and seamless. Integrate a shopping cart and merchant account to handle the transaction. If there are too many hoops to jump through, your visitor will click away.
Also make it very clear what to expect. How the product will be delivered and by when.
Create an exit pop.
Sometimes people just won't have the time to read everything and might click away before giving you their contact info.
You can increase your chances of getting this information simply by adding an exit pop to your page. When visitors click away, they'll receive a reminder that they can receive your newsletter or report as a gift. Thirty percent will sign-up.
And finally -- take a look at other web sites. Find ones that grab your attention and make you want to pull out your wallet and buy. Pay attention to what they do that works and apply those elements to your site.
Your website can be your 24/7 sales team with these few right actions.
2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source
How To Design A Web Site That Sells - To learn more about this author, visit Laurie Hayes's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
| |||
 |
No article feedback found. | ||
|
Leave Your Feedback | ||
|
|||
 Before you start a web site re-design...
| |||
| When a company decides to re-design their web site, the effort commonly begins with the sourcing of the right web design company. The typical scenario involves someone who's assigned to the task contacting a slew of... |
|||
|
When Is the Right Time to Redesign
| |||
| if your website has had the same website design since 1990, perhaps it is high time to do a redesign. The last thing you would ever want to happen to your site is when visitors leave your site without taking a look ... |
|||
|
Web Design - Little Things Make a Big Difference
| |||
| Web design doesn't have to be expensive, but it should never look cheap. Fortunately, a few small basic elements will make sure your web design stand up to the critical test. |
|||
|
Site Design Usability and Navigation
| |||
| Over the past 50 years, a great science has developed for effective design and layout of a retail store. The result has been increased traffic and sales for properly designed stores. It should come to no surprise th... |
|||
|
Web Design Elements You Should Avoid Having on Your Site
| |||
| Popup windows are so blatantly used to display advertisements that in my mind, 90% of popup windows are not worth my attention so I just close them on instinct every time each one manages to pass through my popup bl... |
|||
| |||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
 Laurie Hayes (Visit Laurie's Website) Laurie Hayes, certified Life & Business Coach and founder of The HBB Source, helps home-based entrepreneurs build successful businesses smarter and easier. Get her free ezine packed with helpful resources at www.th ehbbsource.com
|  |
 |
| The HBB Connection - Laurie Hayes “The HBB Source”, author, certified coach and creator of The Complete 12-Step Guide To Starting A Home-Based Business, helps freedom seekers cross the bridge from employee to home-based entrepreneur. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
 |
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 |
 Mirror Marketing Profit From Networking ebook Termination Suit Increasing Coaching Effectiveness Making Life Work |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Debt Blogs
Learn To Get Out Of Debt | |
 |
Top 50 Raising Capital Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||
